Interactive Fiction Project: Day 1; Ready Player One; Film Review #2 Notes

Period 7: Welcome back!

In the next few weeks we will be writing and designing our own text-based adventure game. Please read the following as advice:

Interactive Text Based Game Design Project

Please read the instructions on how to use the program (handout): Twine. Go to their website (click on the link) and begin to create your own interactive fiction game.

1. To start, open your Google drive and choose an interesting setting in which to begin your story. Adventure, science fiction, fantasy, horror, and even historical romance can be good genres to start with. You want your protagonist to be an active participant in your story, so create an interesting concept for a character--but remember that your reader will play the part of this character. 
2. Once you have a character and setting idea, move along by typing the opening paragraph(s) of your story idea. Use IMAGERY (details about what a character hears, sees, smells, tastes, touches, or feels) along with VERISIMILITUDE (specific details about your setting, characters, or situations that help create the description of your story and help it come alive in the imagination of the reader!) Don't forget that it's important that the reader know WHO they are as a character and WHAT situation the character finds him/herself in at the opening of your story.
3. NOTE: Please write your story in 2nd Person POV! See your CYOA handout for models.
4. When you have completed your first description and have given your character a choice of decisions to be made, you may copy and paste your text into the TWINE boxes available. Make sure you select the START box to paste your writing and begin your TWINE adventure.

You may wish to download this program to your computer (if working at home) or "use it online" by choosing that option. I recommend using the program online. Remember to always ARCHIVE your work before logging out!

Some things to remember:

• Read the tutorial. Really. It has information that will be useful for this project.
• Fiction is a story that is not true. Feel free to choose any genre you would like to write (see articles above for some ideas for CYOA games)
• Descriptions are key! You will want to write your story with enough specific imagery and good writing skills to immerse your reader into the story. Describe your settings, characters, add dialogue where needed, etc. Just like you would do if you were telling a good fiction story!
• You may wish to plan your story using index cards to represent a map of locations or scenes for your story (like a storyboard). It is harder to write one of these story games if you are making it up on the fly--so a plan is almost a requirement. 
• Be creative and have fun!

Still confused and need some visual help? Check out these tutorial videos...

• Tutorial #1
• Tutorial #2
• (Advanced) Tutorial #3, & Tutorial: Variables, & Tutorial: If Statements/Conditions

This project is not due yet.

Linden's version of Spacewar!: Play Spacewar!

Period 8 (or end of 7th):

Film: Ready Player One, directed by Steven Spielberg. 

Before we view the film, check out and read the information on Steven Spielberg. Also, check out information about the film at IMDB.com (international movie database). You will use this information (I hope) along with the content of the film we watch in class to write or vlog a film review. 

A film review is similar to other kinds of reviews (like a game review). It usually opens with a hook to grab the attention of the reader, followed by a lead-in that identifies the subject matter and creates a thesis: was this film any good?

• a hook or introduction that explains what the film is, who created it or directed it or acted in it, and a summary of the storyline or important themes of the film. 
• an analysis of the parts of the film. Usually, for a film, this includes a judgment about the story, the acting, the special effects, the sound or music, or other technical film details like the editing or the production quality of the film. Each part usually consists of a paragraph.
• a review ends with the writer's opinion about the quality or worth of the film. Is this a film that you enjoyed watching? Why or why not? What is the final conclusion: should someone watch this film?
• sometimes a review ends with similar films to watch or something wise to consider about the product that a consumer should be aware of. In essence, "why should I see this film?" Other critics may rate the film (thumbs up, thumbs down, 3 out of 10, C+, etc.)

As you watch the film, take notes of key/major topics (see handout). You will use your notes to help you write/film your review.

HOMEWORK: None. Work on your TWINE project.

For advanced students, consider using Sugarcube to tell your story. Here's some info on that: SugarCube is an alternate JavaScript library for Twine that handles media, media playback functions, advanced linking for passages, UI elements, save files, and much more. It can turn your basic text adventure into a multimedia extravaganza rivaling such adventure games as Myst or Beneath the Steel Sky.

Check here for more info.